I have been out of sailing for 12 years after selling my 20' Mirage. I now have 3 boys (2,4,& 9) and am looking for a boat that will accomadate my family for extended weekend lake sailing. I feel something in the 28'-31' range would be ideal. My wife of course desires comfortable amenities, but I don't wish to totally sacrifice performance. I have been looking primarily at Hunter and Catalina boats in this size. Can anyone offer comparisions on the two makes and sizes or offer suggestions for an alternative.

You'll be just fine with either of these for weekend lake sailing. Also look at Bene's, Jeanneau's, Oh geez, the choices are endless. (personal preference catalina 30, can be had very inexpensely depending on condition) Some of the Bene's will be faster, I just like the Catalina.

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Telstar 28
New England

You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.

—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)

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Thanks for the reply. I would appreciate comparsions between the Catalina 30 and the Hunter 306. I like the read on the new Catalina 309 and the Hunter 31, but the idea of instant depreciation is a concern.

Are you buying new or used? Old or new?
I can't help with new boats. For older boats, there are lots of good makes and models - Tartan, C&C, Catalina, Hunter, Beneteau, Newport, Islander, Sabre, O'day, etc. etc.

I just did a quick yachtworld search and came up with 115 hits meeting your criteria in just the Great Lakes area alone.
Everything from Aloha to Southern Cross. Many of these would fit the bill for family cruising.

If you like Catalina's than I'm sure they would work for you.
There's only a couple of thousand of them out there.

Not sure what lake you are sailing on, but if it's the Great Lakes, then you can't beat the CS 30. This boat is not as roomy as the Catalina, but I actually find that there is more usuable space down below, as it doesn't have the engine housing/dinette arrangement in the middle of the cabin. Headroom is about 1" better too. As far as performance goes, there is a big, big difference. This is one of several for sale right now: YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale

Ont your budget you would do much better to buy a used boat. They come with an awful lot of things that new boats don't. Those things can easily cost thousands to by on top of the initial retail price of a a new unit.

CS 30 is a decent, well-built cruiser, but can be club raced as well: there's six of them racing level at my club alone. Catalina 30s are a bit more "stately", but will move well enough and have a decent PHRF rating. I like the interiors of the Catalina 30, but that gaping companionway scares me! But if you want a decent fair-weather lake sailer, they are fine and there's plenty of choice.

If it's space you want, however, consider a Nonsuch 30. It's a different kind of sailing experience, but they are cavernous inside and built to last. With three kids and a 30 foot limit, you might find they meet your bill of a livable lake cruiser perfectly.

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